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What to Drink on Halloween

Posted by Maggie Hoffman, Oct 28, 2013

If you're plotting a Halloween bash, you've probably already started thinking about your costume (and your dog's costume) and the deviled egg eyeballs you're going to prepare. Today, we'll help you get set up on the drinks front, from beer suggestions to scary DIY candy-flavored drinks to totally delicious pumpkin cocktails and other autumnal libations.

Matching Drinks and Candy

[Photo: Naomi Bishop]

We've done some serious research into which drinks taste best when you're eating candy. (Warning: such ambitious taste tests usually end in a sugar coma and a stomach ache.) When you've actually got a glass in one hand and an Almond Joy in another, pairing isn't completely straight forward. But we have tips and suggestions to share, whether you're going with straight-up spirits, beer, or wine.

If you're looking for more advice on how to find great beer and dessert matches, this guide from Mike Reis is an ideal place to start.

Pumpkin Cocktails

Mixing pumpkin-flavored drinks is a delicate art: you want the pumpkin flavor to come across, without a weird texture. Incorporating pumpkin butter and pumpkin beer are two of our favorite tricks.

The Great Calabaza

[Photo: Autumn Giles]

If you're into smoky mezcal, this pumpkin cocktail will be your new favorite fall drink. The savory side of pumpkin is emphasized, while the drink stays fresh with just-squeezed orange and lime. Rim the edge of the glass with five spice salt to complete the effect.

Vampire Blues

[Photo: Alice Gao]

Made with bourbon and nutty sherry, this drink gets its seasonal flavor from pumpkin butter, and a bit of spice from Angostura bitters.

The White Pumpkin

[Photo: Autumn Giles]

This spin on a White Russian starts with Kahlua and vodka, but gets added interest from Ramazotti, an amaro with strong notes of orange and cinnamon that goes fantastically well with pumpkin.

Great Pumpkin

[Photo: Alice Gao]

Jim Meehan of PDT created this rich cocktail, sweetened with flavorful Grade B maple syrup, and shaken with a whole egg. The pumpkin flavor comes from pumpkin ale—Meehan uses Southhampton Pumpkin Ale, but you can experiment with your favorite brand.

Turkey and Sage Cocktail

More Seasonal Mixed Drinks

[Photo: Rachel Tepper]

You shouldn't feel like you're tied to pumpkin for a fall celebration. If you really want to get into the Halloween spirit, consider a streak of 'blood spatter' on top of any cocktail's foamy layer (pomegranate molasses looks an awful lot like blood.) Here are a few variations on the theme.

If You Dare: Candy-Infused Booze

[Photo: Clay Larsen]

If you really want to wow (or, um, gross out) your Halloween party guests, look into creating your own candy-flavored spirits by infusing your favorite booze with a Hot Tamale or two. Some combinations work better than others (Junior Mints and tequila = yes, marshmallows + cachaça = terrifying) so be sure to read our guide before you get started.

Have a happy Halloween, everyone!

About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is a Senior Editor at Serious Eats, based in San Francisco. She founded Serious Eats: Drinks in 2011. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.

Printed from http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/10/halloween-drinks-party-planning-pumpkin-beer-cocktails-candy-pairing.html